2023-09-15 08:39:09
Princess Diana’s red sheepskin-print sweater sold for $1.1 million
The famous red wool sweater printed with a group of sheep, which Princess Diana wore in 1981 shortly following her engagement to Prince Charles, was sold for more than 1.1 million dollars on Thursday, in a heated auction organized by Sotheby’s online.
Sotheby’s confirmed that the price at which the sweater was sold, amounting to $1.1 million, including fees and commissions, was approximately 14 times higher than the estimated price of this piece ($80,000).
Agence France-Presse noted that the auction, which began on August 31, witnessed a large turnout during its final minutes, causing the price of the sweater to rise from $200,000 to $1.1 million.
Sotheby’s confirmed that the amount for which the sweater was sold represents a record for an auction for a piece of clothing worn by Princess Diana, whose belongings still attract collectors, 26 years following her death in a car accident in Paris. Last January, American star Kim Kardashian bought the “Atallah” necklace that Princess Diana wore on several occasions, at an auction held in London for $197,453.
The auction house explained that the amount of $1.1 million represents a record for the sale of a sweater, as it exceeded the amount for which a green sweater worn by Kurt Cobain was sold in 1993 during a Nirvana concert on MTV, in an auction organized in 2019 ($334,000).
Immediately following her engagement, Diana Spencer wore a red sweater printed with a group of white sheep with a black one interspersed during a polo match attended by Prince Charles in June 1981, which left the impression that it was a comfortable and creative piece, according to Sotheby’s.
Diana’s public appearance in the sweater provided an unexpected opportunity for two fashion designers, Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, and their brand, “Warm and Wonderful.”
A few weeks following photos of Diana wearing this sweater were published, Muir and Osbourne received a letter from Buckingham Palace informing them that the future Princess of Wales had damaged the piece, and the royal letter asked the designers whether they might repair it or secure a replacement. The two designers created a new version of the sweater, which was worn by the Princess of Wales in 1983.
As for the first damaged sweater that Diana wore, it was not restored and the two designers thought that someone else had obtained it. But in March 2023, Joanna Osborne found it in a box in her warehouse.
Sotheby’s explained that “an in-depth examination of the condition of the sweater, the damage to its sleeve, and comparisons with photos from 1981” made it possible to confirm that it was the original sweater.
After regarding 40 years, Rowing Blazers brand manager Jack Carlson proposed to the two main designers to establish a partnership with them and requested to obtain a patent for the design of the famous sweater that would allow him to produce it within his brand.
(AFP)
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